1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to a mounting apparatus and more particularly to a portable stove mounting apparatus for use in land or marine vehicles.
2. Description of the Related Art
Portable stoves for camping and boating use are generally carried or stored between uses, and therefore must be relatively small and light. Typically, these stoves utilize butane or propane from tanks or bottles carried inside the stove itself. The stove is usually placed on the ground or on a table, lighted and used.
Stoves that are used aboard a boat or in a motor home may present a severe hazard if they are not bolted down or otherwise secured in the position of use. Marine stoves are often bolted to a table or other support structure. Stoves in motor homes or campers are merely set in place as they are not normally used while the vehicle is in motion. However, bolted stoves are inconvenient to move. They also take up a certain amount of space that could otherwise be efficiently used for food preparation and other purposes.
Alternatively, the portable stove may be fitted with suction cups on the four feet of the stove. These suction cups are designed to removably fasten the stove in place to prevent the stove from sliding across the table when the boat pitches and rolls at sea. However, such suction cups require the mounting surface or table to be mirror smooth in order to effect an adequate seal to preclude the cups from coming loose. Such a smooth surface is seldom available. In addition, the suction afforded by these cups may degrade over time so that an initially secure mount to a table may eventually become loose without warning.
Accordingly, there is a need for a simple means for removably securing a portable marine or camping stove securely in place that does not permanently usurp a work surface or food preparation surface.
There is also a need for an apparatus that removably provides a food preparation surface as well as a support for a portable marine stove that can readily be installed and removed on boats that do not have a galley or permanent cooking area.